Stirrup assembly for examination table

ABSTRACT

A stirrup assembly is provided for medical examination tables and the like for supporting the feet of persons being examined. The stirrup assembly includes a foot plate, a support rod for the plate, and a strap for holding the foot securely on the plate. The strap extends through slots in the plate or through guide members so that a portion of the strap extends below the foot plate, and the strap can be tightened about a foot on the plate by pulling the portion of the strap below the plate. Strap tightening means may be movably mounted on the support rod for tightening the strap about the foot, and the ends of the strap can be releasably secured to each other or to the stirrup assembly to permit easy removal of the strap for cleaning or replacement.

States Mueiler et a1.

STIRRUP ASSEMBLY FOR EXAMINATION TABLE inventors: Floyd F. Mueller, Two Rivers;

Clarence J. Aulik; Paul R. Zeman, both of Manitowoc, all of Wis.

American Hospital Supply Corporation, Evanston, 111.

Filed: July 5, 1973 Appl. No.: 376,369

Assignee:

11.5. C1 269/328, 248/361 A int. Cl A61g 113/00 Field of Search 269/130-132, 269/328; 248/361 A; 24/23 BB, 115 G, 278;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1884 Bommarius 24/23 EE 12/1959 McBrien 24/278 X 9/1962 Robinson 269/132 X 6/1965 Boetcker et a1. 269/328 Mar. 18, 1975 3,521,876 7/1970 Smith ..248/361AX 3,528,413 9/1970 Aydt 3,650,523 3/1972 Darby, Jr. 269/328 Primary ExaminerRoy Lake Assistant Examiner-Neil Abrams [57] ABSTRACT A stirrup assembly is provided for medical examination tables and the like for supporting the feet of persons being examined. The stirrup assembly includes a foot plate, a support rod for the plate, and a strap for holding the foot securely on the plate. The strap extends through slots in the plate or through guide members so that a portion of the strap extends below the foot plate, and the strap can be tightened about a foot on the plate by pulling the portion of the strap below the plate. Strap tightening means may be movably mounted on the support rod for tightening the strap about the foot, and the ends of the strap can be releasably secured to each other or to the stirrup assembly to permit easy removal of the strap for cleaning or replacement.

10 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY This invention relates to medical examination tables, and, more particularly, to stirrups or foot supports for medical examination.

Medical examination tables are commonly equipped with stirrups for supporting the feet of the person being examined. Such stirrups desirably support the feet in a secure manner so that the feet will not slip off the stirrups during the examination. The stirrups should therefore be sturdy, but the structure of the stirrups should be relatively simple so that the stirrups do not collect excessive dirt and so that they can be cleaned easily.

The inventive stirrup assembly provides comfortable, secure support with a minimum of parts. The assembly includes a foot plate which supports the foot over a substantial area thereof and a foot strap which can be adjusted to vary the tension on the foot as desired. The strap passes through slots in the plate or through guide members secured below the plate so that the strap can be tightened about the foot by pulling downwardly on the portion of the strap below the plate. If desired, a strap tightening bar can be slidably mounted on the support rod for the plate, and the strap tightening bar can be provided with locking means for releasably locking the bar in the position which provides desired tension of the strap on the foot. The ends of the strap can be releasably secured together below the plate or can be releasably secured to the plate or to the strap tightening bar, and the strap can be easily removed when the assembly is to be cleaned or when the strap requires replacement. When the stirrup assembly is not being used, the strap can be pushed downwardly through the slots to reduce the height of the strap above the foot-supporting surface of the plate to facilitate storing the stirrup assembly within the examination table.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be explained in conjunction with illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an examination table equipped with a stirrup assembly formed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the stirrup assembly in a storage position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified stirrup assembly;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stirrup assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the ends of the strap of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of the stirrup assembly;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of the stirrup assembly;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the stirrup assembly of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the strap-tightening bar of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a stirrup assembly equipped with modified strap tightening means;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the stirrup assembly of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a modified stirrup assembly shownsecuring the ankle of a patient;

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the stirrup assembly of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is an elevational view, partially in section. of a pivotal attachment for the foot plate of a stirrup assembly; and

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the structure of FIG. 14.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 20 designates generally a stirrup assembly which is mounted on an examination table 21. The examination table is conventional and includes a top 22 supported by a subtop 23 and support legs 24. Although only a single stirrup assembly is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be understood that the other side ofthe examination table is also equipped with a similar stirrup assembly.

The stirrup assembly includes an L-shaped support rod 25 which includes a generally vertically extending portion 26 and an elongated generally horizontally extending portion 27 which is slidably mounted in the subtop of the table for movement between an extended or use position shown in FIG. 1 and a retracted or storage position shown in FIG. 2. The support rod can slidably supported in the manner disclosed in the coowned application Serial No. 329,380, filed February 5, 1973 and now abandoned. A foot plate 28 is rigidly secured to the top of the vertically extending portion 26 of the support rod, and the foot plate includes a generally horizontal extending flat central portion 29 and forward and rearward end portions 30 and 31, respectively, which curve downwardly.

The foot plate is provided with an elongated slot ad jacent each side edge of the plate, and a circularly extending retaining strap or band 33 extends through the slots so that a portion of the strap extends above the upper or foot-supporting surface of the plate and a portion of the strap extends below the lower surface of the plate between the slots. The vertical portion 26 of the support rod is secured to the plate forwardly of the slots in the plate so that the strap can be pushed through the slots from a raised position illustrated in FIG. 1 to a lowered position illustrated in FIG. 2 in which the strap extends for only a short distance above the foot plate and the majority of the strap is positioned below the foot plate. When the strap is pushed through the slots in the plate as illustrated in FIG. 2, the stirrup assembly can be moved to the retracted position of FIG. 2 without the top 22 interfering with the strap.

A modified stirrup assembly is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and includes a foot plate 36, a retaining strap 33, and a support rod 37. The foot plate 36 is identical to the foot plate 28 with the exception that the curved forward and rearward portions 30 and 31 are eliminated so that the foot plate 35 is flat. The strap 33 is identical to the strap of FIGS. 1 and 2 and passes through slots 38 and 39 formed in the foot plate adjacent the side edges thereof. About half of the support rod 37 is broken away in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the support rod is an elongated straight rod which is adapted to be vertically supported by a conventional support rod clamp of an examination table so that the support plate is maintained horizontal as shown in FIG. 4. The support rod can be adjusted longitudinally within the clamp to permit the foot plate to be moved up and down.

The retaining strap 33 includes a pair of ends 40 and 41 (FIGS. 3 and which are brought into overlapping relationship below the plate. Each of the end portions of the strap is provided with a plurality of slits 42 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the strap or perpendicular to the end edges, and the slitted portions of the two ends of the strap overlie each other. The ends of the strap are releasably secured by a pin 43 which is interweaved through the slits of both end portions of the strap so that adjacent solid strap portions 44 of each end portion lie on opposite sides of the pin. As can be seen best in FIG. 5, strap portions 44 of each of the end portions of the strap are positioned outwardly of the pin so that the pin is interweaved between double thicknesses of the strap. The slitted portions of the strap therefore provide loop means through which the pin extends, and other forms of loop means for securing the ends of the strap could also be used.

If the strap requires cleaning or replacement, or if the foot plate is to be cleaned, the strap can be quickly removed merely by withdrawing the pin from the interweaved portions of the strap and then pulling the freed ends of the strap through the slots of the foot plate.

The stirrup assemblies of FIGS. l-4 are particularly suitable for gynecological and urological examinations in which the patients legs are bent upwardly and each foot naturally assumes a horizontal position. The foot plate is maintained horizontal by the support rod, and the plate has a substantial area which supports the foot over most of the length thereof. The retaining strap 33 passes over the arch of the foot and prevents forward, lateral, and upward movement of the foot.

The foot plate 28 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with curved forward and rearward portions 30 and 31 which conform to the curve of the patients foot to provide comfortable support, and, if desired, the entire footsupporting surface of the plate can be provided with a concave curvature. A curved plate is more expensive to manufacture, however, and the flat foot plate 36 of FIGS. 3 and 4 also provides comfortable support for the patients foot.

The retaining strap 33 is preferably somewhat flexible so that it conforms comfortably to the arch of the foot, and it can advantageously be made of plastic such as vinyl. The pin 43 which secures the ends of the strap can also be formed of plastic.

Another embodiment of the stirrup assembly is shown in FIG. 6, in which a flat foot plate 46 is secured to an elongated straight support rod 47. A flexible retaining strap 48 is releasably secured to the lower surface of the foot plate by snap fasteners 49 secured to the ends of the strap which are engageable with male snap fasteners 50 on the bottom of the plate. If desired, the retaining strap can be formed of elastic material so that the strap is stretched somewhat as the free end thereof is drawn over the foot and secured to the fas tening members to provide a secure, yet comfortable, restraint on the foot.

Still another embodiment of the stirrup assembly is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. A flat foot plate 52 is supported by an elongated straight rod 53. The foot plate 52 is not provided with slots therethrough, but slot means are provided by a pair of guide members 54 which are secured to the bottom of the plate adjacent the side edges thereof. Each of the guide members includes an elongated portion 55 which is spaced below the bottom of the plate to provide a slot 56 therebetween, and a retaining strap 57 extends around the side edges of the plate and through the slots 56.

A strap-tightening bar 59 is slidably mounted on the support rod 53 below the plate and engages a portion of the strap below the plate. The bar is provided with an opening 60 (FIG. 9) adjacent one end thereof, and the opening is provided by frusto-conical or chamfered walls 61 and a cylindrical central wall 62. The diameter of the cylindrical central portion 62 is slightly larger than the diameter of the rod 53, and when the bar 59 extends perpendicularly to the support rod, the bar can slide freely in the axial direction of the rod. However, when the bar is pulled out of a perpendicular relationship with the rod by tension exerted on the strap, the circular edges of the central portion 62 at the junctures between the cylindrical central portion and the chamfered portions of the opening frictionally engage the rod and restrain movement of the bar along the rod.

After a patients foot is inserted on the foot plate 52 between the strap 57 and the foot-supporting surface of the plate, the bar 59 can be moved downwardly to tighten the strap about the foot. When the tension of the strap has been adjusted as desired, the bar is released, and upward tension on the bar exerted by the strap will pull the bar into a skewed position relative to the support rod and will frictionally lock the bar in place. When it is desired to remove the patients foot from the stirrup, the bar is merely returned to a perpendicular position and then raised along the rod to loosen the strap.

The strap 57 illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 is an endless band, but it will be understood that this strap could have a pair of ends which are releasably secured as described with respect to the strap 33. Further, other means for releasably securing the ends of the strap could be used. For example, one end of the strap could be provided with female snap fasteners such as the fasteners 49 of FIG. 6, and the other end of the strap could be provided with male snap fasteners such as the fasteners 50.

The stirrup assembly illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 could also be modified by providing the plate 52 with slots as in FIGS. 1-4 through which the strap could-extend downwardly to be engaged by the strap-tightening bar 59.

Although the strap 57 is endless, it can still be easily removed from the foot plate for cleaning or replacement by sliding the strap to the left as viewed in FIG. 7 through the open ends of the guide members 54.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a modified strap-tightening means. The stirrup assembly includes a support plate 52, support rod 53, guide members 54, and a strap 57 as described with respect to FIGS. 7 and 8. The straptightening means is provided by upper and lower strips 64 and 65 which are secured together. The upper strip 64 is provided with an opening having a diameter just slightly larger than the diameter of the rod 53 through which the rod extends, and the lower strip 65 is curved downwardly at 66 to engage the rod 53. The lower strip is made of spring metal or other suitable material to provide flexibility and resilience to the rod-engaging or spring portion 66, and the spring portion 66 presses against the support rod to frictionally lock the upper strip 64 in a desired position. If desired both strips can be made of sheet metal and spotwelded or otherwise secured.

The strap 57 extends below the strips 64 and 65, and the strap can be drawn downwardly to adjust the tension on the patients foot by moving the strips downwardly along the rod 53. The strap can be loosened merely by pushing the strip 64 upwardly along the rod with sufficient force to overcome the frictional force provided by the spring portion 66.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 and 13, a flat support plate 68 is supported by an elongated vertical support rod 69. One end ofa retaining strap 70 is secured to the bottom surface of the support plate adjacent one side edge thereof. The strap extends around the other side of the support plate and through a slot provided by a guide member 54 as previously described and then downwardly to a strap-tightening bar 71. The straptightening bar 71 can be. identical to the bar 59 shown in FIG. 9, and the end of the strap is secured to the lower surface thereof. As the bar 71 is moved downwardly, the strap is drawn through the slot provided by the guide member 54 and is tightened about the patients ankle. The bar is lowered until the desired tension is obtained, and upward tension on the bar by the strap will move the bar into a skewed relationship with the support rod and frictionally lock the bar against the rod. In the illustration given, one end of the strap is releasably secured to the support plate by snap fasteners 49 as illustrated in FIG. 6 which engage male fasteners mounted on the lower surface of the support plate. The other end of the strap is similarly releasably secured to the bar 7I by snap fasteners 49 which engage male fasteners on the bar.

The stirrup assembly illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 can be used during gynecological and urological examinations in which the foot of the patient is supported in a horizontal position. However, this stirrup assembly as well as the stirrup assemblies previously described can also be used during other examinations in which the leg of the patient extends generally horizontally and the foot extends generally vertically. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the calf and heel of the patient are supported by the support plate 68, and the retaining strap 70 extends around the ankle to retain the leg on the support plate. If the length of the various support plates is insufficient to support both the heel and the calf when the leg extends horizontally, the plate can be positioned below the ankle.

In each of the foregoing embodiments the support plate is supported in a horizontal position which is particularly suitable for certain examinations. If desired, however, the plates of each pair of stirrups could be tilted slightly outwardly to cause the knees of the patient to be spread apart.

Although each of the support plates of the various embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-13 is rigidly secured to the support rod, the support plate could be movably mounted. In FIGS. 14 and 15 a support plate 73 is mounted on a rod 73 for pivotal movement in two directions. A pivot pin 74 extends through a pair of L- shaped brackets 75 secured to the bottom surface of the plate, and the upper end of the rod is provided with an opening 76 through which the pivot pin extends.

The opening has an hour glass configuration in cross section provided by a pair of frusto-conical portions 77 and a waist or narrow portion 78. The pivot pin can therefore pivot clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 14 with the waist portion of the opening acting as a fulcrum, and the support plate can pivot counterclockwise or clockwise as viewed in FIG. 15 by rotation of the pin within the opening. This permits the support plate to assume the configuration in which the foot is supported most comfortably.

If additional securement of the foot on the support plate is desired, a heel strap could be attached to the retaining strap which extends over the arch of the foot. The heel strap could be removably secured to the retaining strap by snap fasteners or the like, and after the foot is inserted between the support plate and the retaining strap, the heel strap can be passed around the heel and secured. The heel strap would be particularly advantageous when the foot is supported in a generally vertical position in which the heel strap would prevent the foot from moving downwardly.

We have found that each of the stirrup assemblies described provide easy cleaning of the parts thereof, more secure and advantageous positioning of the patient during examination, less strain on the patient, and reduced manufacturing cost.

While in the foregoing specification, detailed descriptions of specific embodiments have been set forth for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that many of the details herein given may be varied considerably by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A stirrup assembly for examination tables comprising a foot plate having an upper supporting surface and slot means, means for supporting the plate, retaining strap means extending through the slot means of the foot plate, a portion of the strap means extending below the foot plate, the strap means being movable through the slot means to vary the: distance which the strap means extends above the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate, and strap-tightening means slidably mounted on the plate support means below the foot plate for movement toward and away from the foot plate, the strap-tightening means being engageable with the portion of the strap means below the foot plate which extends through the slot means whereby movement of the strap-tightening means away from the foot plate pulls the strap means through the slot means to reduce the distance which the strap means extends above the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate.

2. The stirrup assembly of claim I in which each end of the strap is provided with loop means, and a pin which extends through the loop means to releasably secure the ends of the strap.

3. The stirrup assembly of claim I in which each end of the strap is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart slits extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strap and a strap portion between each pair of adjacent slits, and a pin interweaved through the slits and the strap portions of each end of the strap so that adjacent strap portions of each strap end lie on opposite sides of the pin whereby the ends of the strap are releasably secured.

4. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 including a guide member secured to the plate below the foot-supporting surface, a portion of the guide member being spaced from the plate to provide the slot means through which the strap extends.

5. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 including means for releasably locking the strap tightening means at selected positions along the plate support means.

6. The stirrup assembly of claim in which the means for releasably locking the strap tightening means includes spring means on the strap tightening means engaging the plate support means.

7. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which the strap tightening means includes a bar having a pair of end portions, one of the end portions being provided with an opening and the other end portion being engageable with the portion of the strap means below the plate, the plate support means comprising a support rod extending through the opening in the bar generally perpendicularly to the bar,'the bar being slidable along the support rod when the bar is generally perpendicular to the support rod, the periphery of the opening in the bar being frictionally engageable with the support rod when the bar is moved out of perpendicular relationship with the support rod to restrain sliding of the ba along the support rod.

8. The stirrup assembly of claim 7 in which the periphery of the opening in the bar is chamfered.

9. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which the strap means has a pair of ends, one end of the strap means being secured to the plate, the strap means extending from said one end above the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate, through the slot means, and to the strap tightening means, the other end of the strap means being secured to the strap tightening means.

10. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which the slot means of the foot plate is provided by a pair of spacedapart slots through the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate, the strap means comprising a strap having a pair of ends, the strap extending through the slots and the ends of the strap being secured to provide the strap with a generally circular configuration. 

1. A stirrup assembly for examination tables comprising a foot plate having an uppeR supporting surface and slot means, means for supporting the plate, retaining strap means extending through the slot means of the foot plate, a portion of the strap means extending below the foot plate, the strap means being movable through the slot means to vary the distance which the strap means extends above the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate, and strap-tightening means slidably mounted on the plate support means below the foot plate for movement toward and away from the foot plate, the strap-tightening means being engageable with the portion of the strap means below the foot plate which extends through the slot means whereby movement of the strap-tightening means away from the foot plate pulls the strap means through the slot means to reduce the distance which the strap means extends above the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate.
 2. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which each end of the strap is provided with loop means, and a pin which extends through the loop means to releasably secure the ends of the strap.
 3. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which each end of the strap is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart slits extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strap and a strap portion between each pair of adjacent slits, and a pin interweaved through the slits and the strap portions of each end of the strap so that adjacent strap portions of each strap end lie on opposite sides of the pin whereby the ends of the strap are releasably secured.
 4. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 including a guide member secured to the plate below the foot-supporting surface, a portion of the guide member being spaced from the plate to provide the slot means through which the strap extends.
 5. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 including means for releasably locking the strap tightening means at selected positions along the plate support means.
 6. The stirrup assembly of claim 5 in which the means for releasably locking the strap tightening means includes spring means on the strap tightening means engaging the plate support means.
 7. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which the strap tightening means includes a bar having a pair of end portions, one of the end portions being provided with an opening and the other end portion being engageable with the portion of the strap means below the plate, the plate support means comprising a support rod extending through the opening in the bar generally perpendicularly to the bar, the bar being slidable along the support rod when the bar is generally perpendicular to the support rod, the periphery of the opening in the bar being frictionally engageable with the support rod when the bar is moved out of perpendicular relationship with the support rod to restrain sliding of the bar along the support rod.
 8. The stirrup assembly of claim 7 in which the periphery of the opening in the bar is chamfered.
 9. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which the strap means has a pair of ends, one end of the strap means being secured to the plate, the strap means extending from said one end above the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate, through the slot means, and to the strap tightening means, the other end of the strap means being secured to the strap tightening means.
 10. The stirrup assembly of claim 1 in which the slot means of the foot plate is provided by a pair of spaced-apart slots through the foot-supporting surface of the foot plate, the strap means comprising a strap having a pair of ends, the strap extending through the slots and the ends of the strap being secured to provide the strap with a generally circular configuration. 